


The Haunting of Button House

by Dabberdees



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Ghosts (TV 2019)
Genre: And Alison deserves to know she's not alone, Gen, I'm Doctor Who and Ghosts trash, It's canon that Graham can see ghosts, Jack/Graham is very minor, M/M, i think it would be nice if the Captain can meet another man, who is also mlm and they can have a chat about it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27690326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dabberdees/pseuds/Dabberdees
Summary: Alison wished for a peaceful evening, but when two people turn up in the dead of night, everything is about to be turned upon its head at Button House again, especially when one of the newcomers can see and speak to the ghosts as well.
Relationships: Graham O'Brien & Alison, Graham O'Brien & The Ghosts, Jack Harkness/Graham O'Brien, Thirteenth Doctor & Graham O'Brien, Thirteenth Doctor & Mike
Comments: 23
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so this literally happened because it's canon that Graham O'Brien from Doctor Who can see and talk to ghosts like Alison can.

"Alison," The Captain yells, his voice carrying through the house, waking everyone up in the process. "Alison!"

There's an audible groan coming from the master bedroom followed by a muffled swearword. "What?"

"Which one is it?" Mike's voice is heard groggily. "I'm taking one of the ghosts is shouting."

"It's the Captain," Alison mutters just as said ghost rushes through the closed door.

"Alison-"

"What?"

"There are intruders on the front lawn!"

Alison's eyes widen at that, and she shoves Mike, urging him to wake up. "Like we had before?"

"Not sure," The Captain walks towards the window; his eyes narrowed as he looks out at the two people approaching the house. "There are two of them-" He informs Alison, but his eyes remain focused upon the older man lagging behind the striding woman in front of him. "He'll need a change of clothes, I mean they'll need a change of clothes, can't have mud trailing through the house, Fanny will have a field day."

"Is that it?" Alison asks as she joins him by the window, frowning when she spots no sign of a car. "How did they get here? There's nothing around for a while, and they're not dressed for a nighttime stroll."

The Captain reluctantly removes his eyes from the mystery man. "They came across the field, watched them myself." He mentions proudly.

Alison frowns at the two people before turning and heading for the closed door. "Mike, get up-" She taps his leg on the way past. "-we have visitors."

"Right, right," Mike mumbles as he pulls himself from the bed to follow after Alison. "What did they look like?"

"Strangely dressed," Alison admits. "It's the middle of winter and-"

"What is going on?" Pat asks, charging into the hall and now beginning to follow them down the stairs. "I heard shouting."

"We all heard shouting," Fanny snarks with a roll of her eyes. "The Captain woke us all up."

The Captain glances towards Fanny and Pat. "There are intruders; we need to barricade the doors-"

"I think they're just lost-" Alison decides. "-They hardly look like burglars or intruders." She confidently walks up to the front door and pulls it open, brows furrowing at the curious sight in front of her. It's the two people she saw from the window, but they're currently squabbling over a glowing orange object. "Uh-"

"Just knock on the door, Doc," The older male grunts. "You don't have to break into every building you-" His voice, accent southern, perhaps a Londerner, trails off when he locks his eyes on Alison. "-Oh-"

"Can we help you?" Alison's eyes narrow at the two strangers.

The woman beams a smile at them. "We're lost-"

"-And cold," The older man grumbles. "I was meant to be seeing a West Ham game, but she only went and got us lost and then-"

"All right, Graham," The woman rolls her eyes at the now named man before turning back to the baffled Mike and Alison. "Can we come in and use your phone?"

"Uh-" Mike shares a glance with Alison. "I can't see why not."

"Excellent," The woman nods and quickly shuffles into the house. "Lovely place you have here, I'm the Doctor, and this is-" She gestures behind herself. "-Graham."

"Yeah, we heard you say his name, I'm Alison, and this is Mike," Alison mentions with a gesture between them. "What were you doing out there?"

"Very long story," Graham flicks his eyes across the landing, frowning ever so softly. "This is a busy house you have here," He nods his head towards the stairs before turning back to Alison and Mike. "Sorry about waking you all up, wasn't our intention, honestly."

"At least he said sorry," Pat smiles towards Graham, blinking when he spots the newcomer unnervingly looking directly at him.

"Yes, well," The Captain shuffles himself down the stairs. "I'm just going to check them out-" He decides, ignoring the Doctor and stepping up close to Graham. "-see if they're up to no good."

Graham frowns at that, feeling vaguely insulted that someone would openly say that for them to hear, he shakes his head and looks towards Alison and Mike instead.

Fanny follows the Captain down, displeasure on her face at the state of the newcomers. "They are trailing mud into the house," She snaps her head towards Alison. "Evict them-"

"I did say Fanny would have a field day-" The Captain reminds Alison with a knowing look. He turns back to Graham again, flinching back when the man in question locks his clear and quite attractive blue eyes upon his own. "That was-"

"Oi, mate," Graham says, turning to face the Captain while taking a step back. "I know we woke you all up, but could you give me a little bit of space? And perhaps cut down on the rudeness?" 

The Captain's eyes widen, his mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air. "Did he just speak to me?"

"Yeah," Graham looks baffled as he glances away from the Captain and turns his eyes upon the others, brows now furrowed in thought. "Is this a fancy dress party? Cos you got the world war two army vet here, a fellow dressed like my old scoutmaster, Downton Abbey and-" His eyes widen when they flick upstairs. "-a man with no trousers on, and no pants-"

"Graham?" The Doctor shoves herself through the Captain, making him wince from it and Graham to take a considerable step back in horror. "Who are you-"

"Oh, I hate it when they do that-"

"Doc!" Graham shoves his hand out, eyes wide. "You just walked through that guy-"

"He can see us!" The man with no trousers bellows.

"Watch it, mate; you nearly stepped through my head-" 

A voice shouts, causing Graham to glance to the floor and promptly stumble backwards and out of the house. He hits the gravel with an audible oof, before turning scared eyes onto his friend. "Doc, there's a bloody head on the floor!" He scrambles away, chest heaving with breath. "A talking one at that!"

"I'm not bloody-"

"Oh, christ-" Graham panics. "I swear if this is-"

"Mike-" Alison snaps her head to the surprised and bewildered Mike. "-He can see them!" She calls out, relief rushing through her. "Oh, he can see them as well-"

The Doctor spins and faces the house, eyes shifting across the landing. She pulls out her sonic and scans the air-

"Witch," Mary cries out. "She be a witch!"

"Not witch," Robin shakes his head. "Not dress like one."

"There is nothing," The Doctor declares. "There is nothing here, Graham, why are you reacting like this?" She asks, turning to face her friend with worry.

Graham swallows nervously, eyes flicking across the four pair of eyes staring down at him. He avoids looking at the arrow stuck in the neck of the scoutmaster, ignores the lack of trousers from the man in half a suit, widens his eyes at the appearance of a caveman before finally locking them on the first person he saw again. "Am I having a stroke?" He whispers, panicked. "Cos I think I am, Doc-"

The Captain, if he could, would extend a hand down to the man on the floor. "Alison-" He calls out instead, glancing over his shoulder at the woman currently shaking Mike's shoulders, pleased to meet someone like herself finally. "Alison!" Alison snaps her eyes onto him. "A little help?"

"Oh, right-" Alison forces herself out of the door and approaches Graham. "It's okay," She reassures. "I had the same shock when I first saw them-"

Graham, meanwhile, has closed his eyes while the Doctor strides towards Alison. "What is going on here?" She demands as she kneels by Graham's side, keen eyes looking over her friend with concern.

"Kinda hard to explain," Alison begins. "But he's seeing ghosts."

Graham cracks an eye open, yelping when he spots a new face next to his. She has a bright smile on her young face.

"We're going to be the best of friends," The young woman beams a smile at him. "Me, Alison, and You-"

"Kitty-" Alison sighs as she extends a hand towards Graham. "Right, guys-" She says loudly. "-shall we give him some space?" She gets a muttering of replies as the ghostly residents back off. "Come on-"

Graham eyes the hand warily. "You're not dead, or a ghost are you?"

"Nope, completely alive if not a little mad," Alison states with a light chuckle. "They won't hurt you; they might drive you insane, though."

Graham nods and accepts the hand up. He brushes himself off and looks towards the Doctor, mouth pressed into a thin line. "So, uh, you know how you said you weren't sure about the maid and the creepy kid I saw back at Byron's villa-"

"Byron!?" A different voice roars. "My greatest foe!" His voice hitches. "I'm going back to the lake for he taunts me in death-"

Alison turns and faces Thomas. "Thomas, he just-" She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Sorry about them."

"Uh-huh," Graham murmurs, unnerved by the attention upon him. "Can you all see them?" He looks towards Mike.

"Um, no," Mike steps forward. "That would just be Alison, and I guess you as well now."

The Doctor scrunches her face up. "I wasn't sure before, Graham," She decides to reply to his comment. "No one else saw them while we were at the Villa and we did have that little issue with Ashad to deal with, it wasn't at the top of my priorities."

"So, you've seen ghosts before?" Alison asks Graham, interested. "But never made the connection?"

"Yeah, but, well-" Graham rubs the back of his neck, eyes trailing across the group behind Alison and Mike. "-I dunno, they gave me food though," He shrugs.

"That's not fair," Alison frowns at Graham. "This lot just screamed at me."

"Hey-" She gets a universal complaint aimed at her back.

Graham nods. "I have one question."

"All right, shoot."

Graham locks his eyes onto Julian. "Why doesn't he have any trousers on 'cos I'm not being funny here, but I've seen more than I care to admit in one night from just him alone."

"What do you mean?" The Captain leans forward.

Graham glances towards the ghost dressed in the world war two attire. "You know-" He gestures downwards. "-that, god, if Jack was here he'd be having a field day that I can see that and he can't, he'll tease me all night 'cos of it."

"Who is Jack?" 

Graham's brow raises. "Uh-" He flicks his eyes towards the Doctor and back again. "-kinda like you I suppose, but he ain't dead 'cos he can't die, but he does have world war two stuff on," He answers with a shrug. "He's my sorta boyfriend although the term boyfriend has seriously passed me by a long time ago now."

"Oh."

"Uh-" Graham catches the flash of disappointment on the veterans face before it's gone like breath on a mirror. "-anyway, we just wanted to use your phone, so we could call someone we know."

"Nonsense," Alison says all too quickly. "You're welcome to stay here for the night."

"Um, not sure if that is a good idea-" Graham murmurs, eyes flicking across the ghosts again.

The Doctor, on the other hand, nods. "Come on, Graham-" She looks towards him, eyes alight with curiosity. "We can contact Ryan, Yaz, and Jack in the morning, and you never know, the TARDIS might be willing to let us in by that time."

"Right," Graham remains unconvinced. "Staying in a house filled with ghosts," He speaks, dreading the idea. "What could go wrong?"

"He can have my room-" The Captain splutters far too fast and eager. "I shall keep watch on him."

"You really don't have to," Graham winces, far from pleased about the idea.

"Nonsense," The Captain stands straight. "One must keep valued soldiers guarded."

Julian flicks his eyes towards the Captain, scrutinising him before turning away without a comment.

Alison's face frowns at that when she remembers how the Captain first reacted to her. "If he starts singing tell him to bugger off-"

"Okay," Graham blinks. "Doc-" He looks towards his friend. "Are you sure about this?"

"Totally," The Doctor flashes him a smile. "This will be fun."

"All right," Alison nods, eagerly if only because she's not alone right now in being able to see the ghosts of Button House. "We can put you up in one of our guest rooms, it's a bit sparse, but it has character." She says, eyes looking towards the Doctor.

The Doctor nods at that. "Let's get a shift on, Graham," She grabs for his arm and pulls him after Alison and Mike, practically dragging him into the house while the Captain watches them enter before standing straighter and following behind, eyes locked onto the back of the first man living man to speak to him in decades.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was meaning to finish this earlier in the week but the old MH was clanging pots and pans together and you know how it is

"Doc," Graham briskly walks back into the ground floor living room, his eyes firmly locked on his friend rather than the spectres lingering around. "Gave Jack a bell, he said he's on his way now, bringing the car which should terrify me 'cos we both know he'll floor it down the M1, but you know Jack, he'll be fine."

"Now?" Mike seems surprised. "But it's in the middle of the night."

Graham hands the younger man's phone back over to him. "Jack's like that, though it's a good thing, we'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"Oh."

"He's not going, is he?" Kitty stage whispers to Pat, making Graham involuntary flick his eyes over to them. "I don't want him to go, Pat, make it so he doesn't go."

"He doesn't live here, Kitty, he has a home that he already lives in-"

"But we've only just met-"

Graham tunes them out, but there's a definite awkward tension in the room with him avoiding looking at anything that isn't the Doctor, Mike, or Alison. "Thanks for this, by the way," He says, looking towards their hosts. "Sheffield is only a three-hour trip away, so I doubt we'll need to use those rooms-"

Alison's eyes snap to Graham. "You don't have to go so soon, honestly."

"Kinda do," Graham murmurs, eyes still looking at anything else. "Got a grandson back in Sheffield, need to look after him-"

"Oh, okay," Alison's face flashes with disappointment. "How old is he?"

"Nineteen," The Doctor barges in front of Graham before he can lie. "Very good by himself, he'll be all right for a few days," She saunters up to Graham. "I don't see why we can't stay for a while, Graham, there is a lot to learn here."

"Doc-" Graham looks towards her, trying to get across that he doesn't want to stay in a house filled with the dead. "-I kinda want to go home if it's all the same-" His eyes flick to the ghosts again. "-it's weird."

"We're not weird," Robin looks between all of them. "You're weird."

"Livings should not be able to see us," Mary adds onto Robin's declaration. "You be far more weird than us."

"I'm not weird," Graham glares at the caveman and soot-covered woman. "You're dead, and wearing- What are you wearing?"

"Animal, big fashion."

"I'm not wearing-" Graham's sentence cuts off in an instant when he feels a hand on his arm. He stares at the owner, wide eyes. "Don't do that, Doc, I thought it was one of them!"

Robin laughs. "He jump-"

Alison catches the glint in his eyes, and she points towards the caveman. "You will not scare him, Robin," She orders. "I mean it."

"Not even a little bit?"

"Robin-"

"Fine, no scare," Robin dramatically sighs. "No fun."

Graham settles his breathing. "I wasn't calling you weird," He confesses. "I was just calling this whole situation weird, 'cos it is, and I'm sure I never saw ghosts before, well, not that I paid attention all that much."

"Graham," The Doctor brings Graham's attention back to herself. "We still need to get the TARDIS; we can't leave until we do."

Mike and Alison share a look with one another. "What's a TARDIS?"

"That's part of the long story," Graham sighs. He pinches the bridge of his nose, already feeling the tension headache forming behind his eyes. "I don't wanna put you two out."

"Oh, you're not putting us out," Alison reassures Graham with a smile. "It's fine; there's plenty of room-"

"Right, uh, well, speaking of rooms-" Mike claps his hands together. "I should show you to your rooms."

"I don't think we need them," Graham reminds.

"Either way," Mike shares a quick, fleeting look with Alison. "Rest a bit, and you both need a change of clothes-"

"Indeed," Fanny looks down her nose at the state of Graham's and the Doctor's trousers and shoes. "Did no one teach you not to walk into a ladies house covered in muck and filth?"

"Obviously not," Graham snarks at her, causing some of the ghosts to smirk. "Would you like us to remove our trousers here, then?"

The Captain chokes on nothing the moment the sentence leaves Graham's mouth.

"The impertinence."

"I can show Graham to mine-" The Captain helpfully informs Alison and Graham after clearing his throat. "-if that will be all right."

"I can't see why not-" Alison speaks, staring towards the Captain. "-don't bother him, though, Captain."

The Doctor follows her gaze, frowning lightly when she spots and feels nothing. "I've seen a lot in my life, but this is new-" Her frown deepens on her face, lines creasing upon her forehead. "-I once met something back in Wales, quite a long time ago now, Charles Dickens was there, but that was an alien-"

"All right, Doc," Graham sidesteps into the conversation. "I'm sure our hosts probably want to get back to bed by now, and we are kinda keeping them up."

"What is an alien?"

Pat focuses on Mary and smiles. "1979, Ridley Scott was the director, it was a terrific film if not very bloody-"

"Not Alien, as in the film," Graham interrupts. "Alien as in alien."

"E.T.?"

"Nope," Graham shakes his head. "More like people with teeth in their face and murderous pepper pots with squids in them-"

"Sorry, excuse me," Alison slides in, eyes widening and mind wondering if she's bumped into someone crazier than herself. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"Aliens," Graham stares at her. "You must've seen the things on the news-"

"Oh, they're hoaxes-" Mike scoffs. "You can't seriously believe in aliens-"

Graham glances towards the ghosts and then back to Mike, repeating it a few times before turning towards the Doctor. "Is that what I sounded like on the train back in Sheffield when you fell through the roof?"

The Doctor shrugs and scrunches her nose up. "Humans are dense."

"That's rude, Doc."

Alison blinks, eyes narrowing. "Wait-" She stares at the Doctor. "No- no, you can't be-" Her eyes catch Graham's face, his mouth pressed into a thin line. "-get out of here-"

"Alison-" Kitty cries. "You can't kick them out-"

"No, Kitty, I mean-" Alison stares at the Doctor. "You're an alien?"

"Two hearts," The Doctor confirms as she pulls out her sonic. "A sonic screwdriver-"

"And the TARDIS," Graham tacks onto the end. "It's her spaceship-"

"And timeship."

"It's also bigger on the inside."

Mike runs his hands down his face. "Nah, you're having us on."

"Aliens don't exist," Julian states as fact. "Well, not to the public anyway-" He mutters under his breath. "Course, the things I signed off on-" His fellow ghosts glance his way with baffled looks on their faces. "-would make anyone believe."

"Mate, ghosts exist," Graham points out, missing the comment from Julian entirely. "Cos I can see them, so aliens do as well."

"Does this mean everything exists from films and television?" Mike asks.

Graham looks towards the Doctor, expecting an answer from her. "I met a werewolf in Scotland and some vampires in Venice, but they were aliens," Her brows furrow. "Usually everything I meet is alien, but this-" She gestures at a blank wall, and Graham sighs as he takes her arm and directs it to where the ghosts are actually standing. "-this is human, beautiful humans, you lot are always a mystery."

"Huh," Mike blinks. "Well, 'spose you do learn something new every day."

The Doctor smiles at him before turning and looking over the house. "You need to fix a lot of stuff in here, by the way-"

"Doc," Graham rubs a hand down his face. "That's rude-"

"It's true-"

"Nah, it's fair," Alison grimaces. "We've had a few setbacks."

The Doctor nods. "I could help out," She offers with excitement. "I'm not sure how long the TARDIS will be having her little tantrum, seriously, I didn't do anything-" She places her hands on her hips. "-doesn't matter, let me help you fix your house up while we're here."

"Oh, no, no, you don't have to-"

"Eh," Graham rocks on his heels. "She is a dab hand at fixing things; if she doesn't want to leave, then I'll take the hand 'cos she knows a thing about a thing or two."

Mike shrugs at Alison. "We do need help, and you should get to know Graham, might be able to learn a few things with someone else who can see them like you can."

"Okay," Alison relents. "But accepting help for free doesn't feel right."

The Doctor waves off Alison's concern. "A pack of custard creams will do," She smiles, clapping her hands together. "This will be really fun," She looks at Mike. "Can I see my room now?"

"Uh, yeah-" Mike nods, gesturing for the aline woman to follow him.

Graham watches them leave before he exhales the breath he didn't know he was holding, hands now resting on his knees as he leans down on them. "You can see them all the time, right? Like, they don't vanish or anything, do they?"

Alison's mouth presses into a thin line. "Still shocked by seeing them?"

"Maybe if it was one ghost, but this is a lot to take in-"

"Oh, don't go into the boiler room, then," Julian speaks, hands gesturing as he does it. "Plague pit down there, filled with all sorts of horrible looking people who died from the bubonic plague."

"Julian," Alison scolds the trouserless man. "Not now-" She sighs before turning back to Graham again. "Maybe it's a personal question here," She begins. "But has anything serious ever happened to you?"

"How'd you mean?"

"Have you ever-" Alison pauses on the subject because how can you ask a man you just met if he's ever died. Well, you just have to ask, she supposes. "-died?"

Graham blinks at that. "Uh-" He frowns, baffled. "-I had cancer, but I never died, well-"

He thinks back. 1974. The River Chelmer. Essex.

But that couldn't be it, could it? He hardly 'died' yeah, he might've stopped breathing for a bit, but that was because of the water and the fact that he did just drown.

"No," Graham answers after a moment. "Well, not exactly-

"What do you mean?"

"When I was a lad, I got stuck in a river, couldn't swim out, never accounted that it would be harder to swim in it after heavy rain, you know, stupid kid things, but I don't think I died or anything," His brows furrow in deep thought. "It was freezing, like something icy touched me and pulled me from the river, next thing I knew I was choking on the bank with my friends shouting my name, but they were all dry," He shrugs. "Never really knew what dragged me out, kinda assumed I did it myself."

Alison's brows furrow, eyes flicking away as she thinks.

"Why did you ask if you don't mind me asking?"

"I had an accident here," Alison answers. "Didn't see them before it, came back-" Her eyes flick across the many ghosts watching them. "-and saw all of them."

Graham follows her gaze, frowning ever so slightly at the shifting of the bloke with no trousers on. "Maybe the Doc could figure it out; she's good at this sort of thing," He suggests. "I know you've said their names and stuff, but I haven't had a proper introduction to them."

"Oh," Pat steps forward, smiling. "Well, I'm Pat Butcher-"

"Like Pat from Eastenders?" Graham's eyebrow raises, just as Alison snorts out a laugh.

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter," Graham waves it off. "What about the rest of you?"

The trouserless man steps forward, hands pulling at his lapels. "I'm Julian Fawcett, MP-"

"Wait-" Graham stares at Julian. "-No, oh my days-" He looks at Alison. "-it's him, ain't it? The MP who died in the-"

Julian makes shushing noises. "I also did a lot for my constituency."

Graham can't entirely wipe the smirk from his face as he turns to the next ghost. "What about you?"

"Don't 'you' me," Fanny tells Graham off. "I am the Lady of Button House."

Alison decides to step in next. "You've met Kitty-" At the mention of her name she smiles and waves, something Graham finds himself returning. "-there's Mary, Humphrey, Thomas-"

"Ah, the lad who went to the lake?"

"Yup," Alison nods. "Oh, and Robin."

"And me," The Captain steps forward. "The Captain."

"Just the Captain?" Graham's head tilts. "Like the Doc, then, I suppose," He smiles to himself. "My sorta partner, Jack, he's a captain, he'll tell you about it 'cos I think you and him have a lot in common considering he's been in world war two-"

Alison frowns at that. "How can you have a 'sorta partner' who was in world war two?"

"The TARDIS," Graham answers like that would clear anything up. "It's a very long story."

"I'm beginning to think it is," Alison shakes her head. "Right, uh-" She looks to the Captain. "Leaving Graham in your hands, Captain."

The Captain stands straight, hand pressed against the small of his back, rally stick held under his arm. "Understood," He looks towards Graham. "If you would follow me-"

"Right, then, Cap, lead on-"

"Cap?"

"Like Captain? Uh, unless you don't want to be called that-"

"No, no, it's fine-" The Captain smiles slightly. "Cap is fine."

Graham catches Julian look at the Captain before he begins the walk after the aforementioned ghost, wondering how on Earth he even got into this situation in the first place. He glances behind himself, finding the other spirits following him.

"Alison told me to show Graham to my- his room," The Captain glares at them. "You are interfering in my mission."

"It's hardly a mission," Pat points out. "And we all do live in this house."

"All right, guys," Graham gestures his hands between the pair of them. "There's no need to bicker."

"See," The Captain continues forward. "Now, everyone should head back to their rooms, we'll be up in a few hours, and our guests need their rest."

"Yeah," Graham rubs at his face. "I bloody well do."

"There will be no swearing in this house," Fanny scolds Graham again.

"Sorry," Graham says. "Cap, which is your room?"

"The one on your left."

"Ta," Graham reaches for it and happily steps inside.

"I shall keep watch all night," The Captain proclaims. "Fear not."

Graham presses his mouth into a thin line at that before he nods and swiftly closes the door. He leans back against it and exhales. "Always manage to find some mess to get into, don't you, Graham son?"

\----

Jack's pretty sure he missed all the speed cameras between Sheffield and wherever here is. He peers at the GPS, shrugging.

It's not like it matters really. He's here, and that's what is important.

His eyes flick towards the house, and he lets out a whistle. It's run down, but it has charm, and if Jack recalls correctly, the name of it sounds familiar.

Strangely familiar.

Oh, well, he's sure he'll remember it at some point.

He swings Graham's car into the courtyard and hops out, eyes taking in the outside of the house again. He jogs towards the door, hand ready to knock and falling back to his side when the door swings open.

"Saw you pulling into the driveway."

Jack takes in the man who opens the door, head tilting towards the side. "Captain Jack Harkness-"

"Jack," Graham sighs from inside the house. "Stop it."

Jack's eyes flick towards Graham, and he smiles. "Remind me never to let you or the Doctor go off on your own, seriously; you two can find trouble in the simplest things-"

"We do not."

"So, what do you call that little ordeal at Tesco that got you and her banned-"

"That was all the Doc, not me-"

"Uh-" Mike steps back and motions for Jack to enter. "-did you bring any bags with you?"

Jack glances towards him. "I'll get them in a bit," He saunters forward. "I hope they haven't been too much trouble."

"Nah, they've been great, actually," Mike states. "Your Doctor friend has already shown me some tricks, and she's fixed the leaking tap, well, all the leaking taps actually, I don't think she slept at all."

"Sounds like the Doctor," Jack snorts before he turns towards Graham, eyes flicking over his body. "Nice trousers."

"I burrowed them, Mike brought them round last night," Graham admits. "Mine got covered in mud-"

Jack catches the slight wince on Graham's face, and he's instantly concerned for the other man. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Graham, no offence, mate, but you're a shit liar-"

"Language-" Fanny calls out.

"Please don't swear, Jack, 'cos it's me who she tells off about swearing."

Jack frowns. "What are you talking about?"

"Hold on," Mike steps forward. "You never told him?" He looks at Jack in surprise. "I thought that was the reason why he was coming down here so fast."

"Told me what?" Jack requests. "Graham?"

Graham stares at Jack before turning and locking his eyes against the ghosts of Button House. "Thing is, Jack, I, uh-"

"Spit it out, man," Julian commands for only Graham to hear.

"Well, no easy way to say this, but I see ghosts," Graham grimaces. "Never knew I did."

Jack looks to where Graham is looking. "You see ghosts."

"He ain't pulling your leg," Mike backs up the older man. "My Alison can see them, as well."

"Oh, no, I don't doubt that he is," Jack admits. "I'm more wondering why he never thought to tell me."

"I'm telling you now," Graham shrugs. "And it never came up over the phone; you found out anyway."

"Graham," The Captain talks as he enters the room. "You left the room before I could give you a daily briefing-" He pauses, feet coming to an instant standstill when he spots Jack. "Oh, my-"

Graham catches where the Cap is looking. "Ah, Cap, this is my other half," His brows furrow. "Well, the other captain I mentioned, you two would get along-"

"He's an RAF pilot."

"Uh, yeah," Graham looks at Jack. "Spose he is, told you he was in world war two."

"Who are you talking to?"

"Ah, you'll get used to that, mate," Mike reassures Jack with a pat on his arm. "Kinda weird seeing them talk to nothing, but eventually you treat it as normal."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm talking to the Cap," Graham answers for Jack. "He's was a captain in world war two, got his uniform on and everything."

"Where is he?" Jack asks, looking around the room and following Graham's hand when he points. He smiles at the blank space, winking as he does it. "Shame I can't see you, I love a man in uniform, really brings out the figure-"

"Good lord."

"Jack," Graham nudges the immortal man. "Behave."

Jack gives Graham a salute before leaning in to press a kiss against his cheek. "It's easy to wind you up."

Graham flicks his eyes across the ghosts, noticing the looks on each of their faces. Kitty looks far too pleased with herself, same with Julian, and well, the Cap looks-

He frowns, baffled. "You all right there, Cap?"

"Yes, totally, absolutely fine, I must go and do something now."

"Like, what?" Pat questions him. "We're ghosts-"

"I missed my morning run-" The Captain declares, turning on the spot and vanishing from the room entirely. "-always have to keep in tip-top shape." He shouts, voice being vaguely heard through the wall.

"You're a ghost, mate," Pat calls after the Captain before shaking his head. "I can give you a tour around the house if you would like."

"Uh-" Graham turns towards Mike. "Pat, the scoutmaster, he's offered to show Jack and me around the house."

Mike nods as he turns to leave. "I've gotta head to work, Alison will be around if you need anything, and uh, yeah, Pat can show you around."

"All right," Graham nods, watching as Mike leaves the room. "Well then, I suppose I should introduce them all to you, Jack."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cap is having the biggest gay panic about jack
> 
> and jack would 100% flirt with a blank space


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: let's write some fun  
> also me: so, how about some angst?

Never in all of his years has anyone ever been as brazen as to say that in a room filled with people, well ghosts. How he managed to keep his face from turning the shade scarlet, the Captain will never know.

And it was said with such confidence, while his partner was stood right there! Who does he think he is with his long grey military coat, dress shirt underneath, ironed slacks with slightly scuffed boots, the easy flash of a smile upon his-

The Captain snaps his mind away from the gentleman's slacks and smiles and focuses on his ill-planned walk. Hasty, far too hasty. Should've stood his ground like he was trained to do. He was dealing with a fellow officer, and a captain as well, now who is the ranking officer out of them.

It's not him, that's for sure, because he left the room.

His march continues onwards, driving him away from Button house and towards the nearby lake. The water lapping at the bank breaks the silence of the countryside. It's soothing, calming and-

"Oh, someone has finally come!" A voice the Captain knows all too well calls out. He takes a weary sigh. "I shall not go back! For you can not make me-"

The Captain glances around and spots Thomas sitting within the lake. His eyebrow quirks upwards, baffled. "What are you talking about?"

"My greatest foe," Thomas cries. "His name is mentioned once more within the house, taunting me through the mirror of death-" He gestures wildly as he speaks. "-the newcomers, the man, and the woman, a close match to the beauty of Alison herself, they talked freely about him-"

"The Doctor-"

"A doctor?" Thomas snaps his eyes towards the Captain while his legs push him from the water. "Marvellous."

The Captain hums in response, wishing he went the other way right about now. "I can see that you are busy so I shall take my-"

"No, no, Captain," Thomas cuts him off. "You may have come to retrieve me, but I refuse!"

"What?"

"All your efforts will be in vain, as I said, I will not leave this lake while his blasted name is mentioned!"

The Captain brows furrow at Thomas. "I didn't come because of you."

Thomas flinches to a stop, eyes fixating onto the Captain now. "Oh."

"I was going for a walk."

"I see."

The Captain hums once more. "There is another man within the house, strapping fellow- I mean-"

"Oh, cruel would it be," Thomas begins. "Go on, Captain, tell me the mystery woman is married, get it over with-"

"No, she isn't," The Captain stiffly replies, eyes flicking away from Thomas and glancing back towards the house. "He is the partner to Graham, that's the man that can see us like Alison can."

Thomas' brows crease together, and he rests his hand upon his chin.

"Is that a bad thing?" The Captain asks without thinking. "About him being here, I mean-"

"It isn't a bad thing," Thomas answers. "It means neither are married to the enigmatic woman, giving me a chance-" His eyes lock onto the Captain. "Tell me her name, you said she was a doctor, but I must know her name-"

"I've told you," The Captain frowns. "Her name is the Doctor."

"A strange name for sure," Thomas speaks, eyes glistening. "I must speak with her this instant." He turns from the lake and marches away.

The Captain can only roll his eyes and shake his head. He has far more critical things to worry about than her or Thomas right about now, like how can he manage to look Captain Harkness or Graham in the face after that comment about his uniform?

\----

"And finally this is the kitchen," Pat proudly exclaims. "Teabags are in the pantry, milk in the fridge, and kettle just on the countertop."

"Ta," Graham mumbles before slumping down in a nearby seat. He rubs his temples. "Maybe a cuppa will be good."

"I'll get it," Jack decides.

"You can't just help yourself to things in a house that you don't live in, Jack," Graham frowns up at him. "It's kinda rude."

Pat gives a light chuckle. "I'm sure Alison and Mike won't mind, you're their guests-"

"We hardly know them, Pat," Graham replies. "And we're not staying for long-"

"I know," Pat confesses. "You have a reason not to stay."

"Yeah," Graham stares at Pat. "I have a house, friends, back in Sheffield-" He frowns, lined forehead creasing together.

"What is the matter?" Pat and Jack ask at the same time, with Pat handing the next question away to Jack with a wave of a hand that the immortal man can't see. "Graham, are you all right?"

"I'm not sure I want to go back to Sheffield right now."

"What?" Jack forgets the tea and settles himself next to Graham. "You wanted to leave-"

"Yeah, I did, but that was before I realised something."

"What was that?"

Graham looks towards Pat again, finding him watching with interest. "If I can see you, then will I be able to see others like you?"

"I don't see why not," Pat shrugs. "We're all dead."

"Then why have I never noticed ghosts walking around?" Graham questions the room. "The only time I noticed them was when I was in Byron's house, and I saw the maid and the creepy kid."

"And you've never seen us before?"

"Well, no, not where I can remember it, but there have been times when-" Graham pauses and trails away again, eyes locking onto a spot on the opposite wall. "No, that can't be-" Jack clicks his fingers, dragging Graham's attention back to him again. "I think I saw Grace, Jack."

Jack blinks at that. "You what?"

"Grace, I think I saw her-"

"Who is Grace?" Pat finds himself asking.

"She was my wife, she died," Graham rubs his temples again, breathing deeply. "Oh my days, back when we first started travelling with the Doc, I saw her in our house, she spoke to me, but I assumed she was just my imagination 'cos I've done it before, you know, with my mum when she passed, and oh god, a mate back in the eighties," He squeezes his eyes shut. "But I only saw her then, never again after that-"

"Your wife passed away in your house?"

Graham snaps his eyes to Pat. "No?" He replies, baffled. "She passed away on this site, fell from a crane when we first met the Doc-"

"Then she wouldn't be in your house, mate," Pat reveals, hand inching out like he wants to gently tap his shoulder in comfort. "We are tied to the place that we met our end."

"Nah, she was, I spoke to her," Graham professes again. "She told me to stop smelling her coat 'cos I missed her, told me when the bins and recycling needed to be put out as well."

"Ghosts can't leave the place that they died, Graham," Pat explains like he's talking to one of his scouts. "If we could, we all would've left Button house at some point."

"But what if she could leave?" Graham voices. "Maybe that's why I only saw her a few times-" He pushes his chair out, scraping it across the floor. "-I need to go now-"

"Graham, wait-" Jack hops from his own chair. "You don't know what you saw, and I don't want you getting your hopes up that you might see the woman you love again."

Pat stares between the two men, suddenly feeling very awkward about being present.

"Jack, you would if you could," Graham says as he stares at Jack. "I know you would."

"That's a low blow, Graham," Jack folds his arms across his chest. "Okay, fine, go on then, but if you get there and she isn't there, then what?"

"Well, I would-"

"No, then what? You would've got your hopes up for nothing and, if she is a ghost, then what do you plan on doing exactly?"

"I could speak to her again," Graham looks down at the floor. "Tell her how sorry I am, that I wish I could try again, tell her that it should've been me that died 'cos I had my chance before, and she had a lot to give-"

"Graham," Jack walks closer to the other man, both now forgetting that they do have someone watching and listening to them. "What did we say about thinking like that?"

Pat presses his mouth into a thin line and decides the best course of action right now is to step backwards, through the wall, and out of the kitchen. Which he does, eyes wide as he makes his way back through the house.

"And I thought we had issues," Pat mumbles under his breath. "But that was-"

"You all right there, Pat?"

Pat yelps and stares bug-eyed at Alison.

"Sorry, Pat, it's usually the other way round when it comes to scaring people," Alison says as she frowns. "What is the matter?"

"Oh, I am fine, but those two," Pat shakes his head. "I wouldn't go into the kitchen if I were you, they're having a very delicate chat."

"Who are?"

"Graham and his partner," Pat calls out, hastily quickening his steps away from Alison.

Alison's face scrunches up. "What do you mean by partner, Pat?" She yells, sighing when she doesn't get a reply. She turns towards the kitchen, sauntering towards it until she can hear muted voices. Both male-sounding which means someone else has arrived and she was never informed. "Damn it, Mike," She mutters under her breath as she walks into the kitchen, spotting Graham and a man she hasn't seen before, both with distressed expressions on their faces and now she understands why Pat might've felt awkward. "Um-"

Graham spins and faces her, a hand wiping down his face. "Alison," He says, clearing his throat a few times, but she can hear the emotion lingering and coiling in his throat. "Mike said you were around, but he's gone to work."

"Oh," Alison's eyes flick to the man she doesn't know. "Who is this?"

"Captain Jack Harkness, at your service."

"Ah! The sorta partner!" Alison smiles. "Graham mentioned you last night."

"All good, I hope?"

"He said you were in world war two and never explained how."

Jack nods at that. "It is a long story, something you probably won't believe-"

"I can see ghosts," Alison reminds with a pointed look. "And I know the Doctor is an alien, so maybe try me."

"All right, then," Jack shrugs before he slips his right hand into Graham's, squeezing it. "Time travel, I'm from the fifty-first century, but I have a fondness for the twenty-first century."

"Now you're having me on."

"We're really not," Graham grimaces. "We'd show you if the TARDIS never locked us out, it is all a really long story, but it is the truth, he's from the future, the Doc is an alien, and we can both see ghosts."

Alison rocks on her heels, hands slipped into the back of her jeans pockets. This is a lot to take in, and she either has three insane people in her house, or they are all telling the truth. "Have you had any breakfast?"

"Wouldn't want to impose ourselves on you," Graham says. "Look, I really need to get back to Sheffield."

"Graham," Jack sighs wearily. "Think about it for a second before rushing back up the M1 on the off chance that you can see her again."

"See who?"

Graham stares long and hard at Jack. "I need to know," His shoulders slump and he settles himself back into his vacated chair. He looks at Alison. "My wife, I think I saw her before I knew about this, but I can't be sure."

"Why not?"

"Cos Pat-" Graham looks around, frowning. "Oh, he's gone, I never realised."

"Yeah."

"Mhmm," Graham murmurs. "Anyway, he said they can't move from where they died, right?" Alison nods in agreement. "Then I couldn't have seen her in my house 'cos that wasn't where she passed away, but it was so real, so maybe she found a way or something-"

"And you want to check," Alison concludes for Graham before she flicks her eyes towards Jack. "And you don't want him to."

"Yup," Jack nods his head as he leans against the counter. "I don't want him rushing back up to Sheffield while his emotions are all over the place on the off chance that he might see her, he doesn't know, I think he should stay away, learn about his ability first from people who can do the same thing he can and from the ghosts themselves."

Graham exhales with frustration. "I just want to know, Jack, it's my right to know."

"And you will, but please think about it," Jack presses on. "I might rush off and do it if it meant I could see his face again, but I'm not in your shoes, and I can see it from a different perspective," He explains. "I understand the wish to see the people you love."

Graham nods after a moment. "All right," He agrees. "I'll think about it, but first-" He turns back to Alison. "-I don't want to stay here for free, eating your food, drinking your tea, feels wrong, let me pay you-"

"You don't have to pay," Alison says, even though the money would come in handy. "You're a guest."

Jack rubs his chin. "I have a better suggestion for the pair of you," He states, drawing their attention to himself. "The Doctor is already fixing things; Mike said she did all the taps, seriously she will do whatever if it means she's not bored, and well I am a decent hand at stuff, and Graham here rewired his house-"

"Yeah," Graham clicks onto where this is going. "You have to be a trained electrician to rewire a house, and I did mine, so-" He shrugs and raises his left hand. "-I am one, or was one before I became a bus driver because I liked meeting and talking to people more than fixing things."

"We'd have to pay you though-"

"Nah," Jack waves off her concern. "We'd do it for the price of letting us stay here for a bit while Graham learns more about his gift."

"I wouldn't say it's a gift," Graham mutters. "More like a nightmare."

"You grow used to them."

"Spose," Graham sighs. "Pat is all right, so is the Cap, but he's a bit-" His brows crease together. "-not sure, got a feeling about him."

"A bad feeling?"

"Nah, it's good," Graham shakes his head. "And it's something that I think we have in common."

"Like what?"

"Not my place to tell," Graham shrugs. "Sorry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Graham will get a Thomas induced headache next, bless them.


End file.
